“End Nuclear Insanity Before Nuclear Insanity Ends Humanity” ~llaw
Apr 04, 2025
(See the “TWZ” article for image description and photo credits. ~llaw)
LLAW’s NUCLEAR WORLD NEWS TODAY and the GLOBAL RISKS & CONSEQUENCES TOMORROW
In My Opinion:
Trump makes a huge mess of everything he tries to do, and this is just another serious blunder that decreases the entire world’s former trust, appreciation, reliance, etc.
I’ve jotted down a few abbreviated phrases and comments from the article(s) that tell us that Trump is rapidly destroying America’s global leadership and reputation over his insane self-aggrandizing ambitious desire to become a Putin-style dictator over a huge part of the globe: A recent visit to Greenland by Vice President J.D. Vance created an uproar, and on Wednesday, Danish and Greenlandic officials met on the island in a show of unity against Trump’s repeated calls for U.S. annexation.
Asked about the frigid island, Cavoli made it clear he was talking about the military value of it and not the Trump administration’s policy of trying to assume Greenland from Denmark. Another interjection from the article(s): “Notice that this is really all about him, and his fantasies about himself. Every American should cringe deeply . . .” ~llaw
Greenland “Absolutely Critical” For Hunting Russian Submarines: Top U.S. General In Europe
Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, the top U.S. general in Europe, testified that Greenland is vital to U.S. national security.
Published Apr 3, 2025 7:36 PM EDT
As U.S. President Donald Trump continues to seek control of Greenland, the top U.S. military commander in Europe said the massive island is vital to America’s national security. The main issue, he said, is that Greenland’s geographic location makes it a key landmass from which to track Russian submarines before they have a chance to disappear into the Atlantic Ocean and potentially endanger the East Coast. You can read more about the strategic importance of Greenland in our deep dive here.
“Access to the airspace and water space found in Greenland is absolutely critical for the United States,” said U.S. Army Gen. Christopher G. Cavoli, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and head of U.S. European Command. Cavoli addressed the security value of Greenland during testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday. Asked about the frigid island, Cavoli made it clear he was talking about the military value of it and not the Trump administration’s policy of trying to assume Greenland from Denmark.
“The key there is it forms the western border of the Greenland, Iceland, UK (GIUK) gap, which is that body of water through which Russian submarines from the Northern Fleet in Murmansk come up and then down through that gap,” Cavoli stated. Murmansk is home to some of Russia’s most capable submarines, like the Yasen-M class nuclear-powered cruise missile carrying Kazan.
The threat of Russian submarines in the Atlantic has been so great that in 2021 the U.S. Navy established a dedicated anti-sub task group of Arleigh Burke-class destroyers that was officially named Task Group Greyhound, which you can read more about here. The increasing Russian submarine activity sparked a warning five years ago from a top U.S. Navy officer that the East Coast was no longer a safe haven for the sea service’s ships and submarines.
The value of the GIUK Gap is not lost on Russia, either. In 2019, it launched its largest drill since the Cold War, sending at least 10 submarines from Murmansk through that region.
“The goal for some of the submarines is to get as far out into the Atlantic as possible without being discovered,” Norwegian news outlet NRK reported at the time.
The entire voyage from their Northern Fleet bases in the Murmansk region was submerged.
“Russia’s goal is to show that they are able to threaten the U.S. East Coast,” the publication noted. “Russia wants to say that ‘this is our sea,’ we can do this. We are able to reach the United States… They want to test the West’s ability to detect and handle this…”
Beyond offensive maneuvers, Russian submarines could also flood into the GIUK Gap and the waters off Norway in a defensive posture to keep U.S. submarines and surface combatants from pushing northward during a crisis. This would protect strategic Russian naval ports on the Barents Sea, Russia’s ballistic missile boats patrolling the northernmost latitudes and hiding under the polar icecap, and its increasingly strategic territorial holdings in the Arctic. It could also isolate NATO allies in Northern Europe from naval assistance during a crisis.
You can read more about the importance of this swath of ocean here.
With all these considerations in play, Cavoli told senators that not having a strong U.S. presence in Greenland is a dangerous prospect. It makes up part of the northern section of the GIUK gap , which is bisected by the far smaller island of Iceland. With just 200 miles between the southeastern coast of Greenland and Iceland, this an important choke point. This area of the GIUK gap is located about 1,000 miles southeast of the Pituffik Space Force Base, the only U.S. military facility on the island. Formerly named Thule Air Base, it hosts an array of early warning radars and carries out regular flying operations.
Once Russian submarines “get past that gap, they break out into the Atlantic,” Cavoli pointed out. “It becomes very tough to track them. It’s a vast expanse. There’s some acoustic things about the underwater geography that make it pretty tough.”
“From those positions that they can achieve, they can hold the U.S. homeland at risk several important targets with land attack cruise missiles,” the general added.
Still, there are several places on Greenland where the U.S. and NATO allies can increase their anti-submarine capabilities without taking over the entire island. That begs the question of why expend the enormous diplomatic and potentially financial capital to acquire it? Iceland also has a regular detachment of anti-submarine warfare aircraft from the U.S. that covers the GIUK gap, making access for these operations in Greenland seem like more of a convenience than a necessity.
Tracking submarines may be seen as a major part of Greenland’s strategic value, but its location addresses several other important military needs. The radar arrays at Pituffik provide critical early warning of Russian ballistic missile attacks, giving the president and military more time to react. And should an adversary like Russia or China take it over, or even establish a major presence there, it could enable the placement of stand-off weapons just 1,300 miles from the United States.
Cavoli’s comments come amid a roiling international controversy, pitting two close NATO allies against each other. Greenland is governed by Denmark and Trump recently repeated his stance that military action is not off the table to take the island. The president’s interest in Greenland dates back to his first term when he announced he was considering purchasing it.
A recent visit there by Vice President J.D. Vance created an uproar, and on Wednesday, Danish and Greenlandic officials met on the island in a show of unity against Trump’s repeated calls for U.S. annexation.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen in an effort to calm the relations. During that meeting, Rubio reaffirmed the “strong relationship” between the U.S. and Denmark, the State Department stated.
While the politics of the situation is fraught and the future murky, it is crystal clear that Greenland has significant military value.
Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com
Howard Altman
Senior Staff Writer
Subscribed
ABOUT THE FOLLOWING ACCESS TO “LLAW’s ALL NUCLEAR DAILY DIGEST” RELATED MEDIA
There are 7 categories, with the latest addition, (#7) being a Friday weekly roundup of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) global nuclear news stories. Also included is a bonus non-nuclear category for news about the Yellowstone caldera and other volcanic and caldera activity around the world that play an important role in humanity’s lives. The feature categories provide articles and information about ‘all things nuclear’ for you to pick from, usually with up to 3 links with headlines concerning the most important media stories in each category, but sometimes fewer and occasionally even none (especially so with the Yellowstone Caldera). The Categories are listed below in their usual order:
- All Things Nuclear
- Nuclear Power
- Nuclear Power Emergencies
- Nuclear War Threats
- Nuclear War
- Yellowstone Caldera & Other Volcanoes (Note: There are three Yellowstone Caldera bonus stories available in today’s Post.)
- IAEA Weekly News (Friday’s only)
Whenever there is an underlined link to a Category media news story, if you press or click on the link provided, you no longer have to cut and paste to your web browser, since this Post’s link will take you directly to the article in your browser.
A current Digest of major nuclear media headlines with automated links is listed below by nuclear Category (in the above listed order). If a Category heading does not appear in the daily news Digest, it means there was no news reported from this Category today. Generally, the three best articles in each Category from around the nuclear world(s) are Posted. Occasionally, if a Post is important enough, it may be listed in multiple Categories.
TODAY’s NUCLEAR WORLD’s NEWS DIGEST, Friday, (04/04/2025)
All Things Nuclear
NEWS
Greenland “Absolutely Critical” For Hunting Russian Submarines: Top U.S. General In Europe
The War Zone
Notice that this is really all about him, and his fantasies about himself. Every American should cringe deeply that a former President is saying …
Lynchburg company vows to build small nuclear reactor for mass production: Critics voice doubts.
WVTF
“With every data center, with every advanced manufacturing plant that is built, with every indoor farm, with every step to electrify our economy, the …
What is the strategy behind the U.S. bombing campaign in Yemen? | Maine Public
Maine Public
… All Things Considered. Next Up: 6:30 PM Marketplace. 0:00. 0:00. All Things … And remember, Trump pulled out of a nuclear deal during his first term, …
Nuclear Power
NEWS
Meet the Browns Ferry Nuclear Power Plant – YouTube
YouTube
Browns Ferry is one of the largest power plants in the United States. The plant is located in Northwest Alabama and powers more than 2 million …
German poll: majority for return to nuclear energy – DW
DW
The issue of nuclear energy has vexed German politics for some time, and it has been a sticking point in current ongoing coalition negotiations …
Gov. Polis signs bill to consider nuclear energy a clean energy source in CO – YouTube
YouTube
On Monday, Governor Jared Polis signed a bill declaring nuclear energy a clean energy source in Colorado.
Nuclear Power Emergencies
NEWS
Update 284 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine – ReliefWeb
ReliefWeb
The ambulance was handed over to the Emergency Technical Center of the national nuclear energy … At the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) …
TPU physicists have proven the effectiveness of using chromium for shells of tolerant nuclear fuel
AK&M
This is a special type of nuclear fuel that is resistant to emergencies at nuclear power plants. Its special feature is the ability to maintain …
Activist sues Dauphin County officials over Three Mile Island restart funds
WPMT FOX43
… nuclear power facility, also names the county’s Public Safety Department and the department’s emergency management specialist as defendants. The …
Nuclear War Threats
NEWS
Iran and U.S. Threat of War: Seven Signs To Watch – Newsweek
Newsweek
Diplomatic Threats. Iran’s Foreign Minister warned this week that his country would “respond swiftly to any attack” after Trump threatened to “bomb” …
Russia calls Trump threats to bomb Iran ‘illegal and unacceptable’ – Fox News
Fox News
“Threats from outside to bomb Iran’s nuclear infrastructure facilities will inevitably lead to an irreversible global catastrophe. These threats …
New Heritage Documentary Exposes Stunning Threats of China’s Growing Nuclear Advantage
The Heritage Foundation
New Heritage Documentary Exposes Stunning Threats of China’s Growing Nuclear Advantage … We can no longer afford to rely on Cold War-era …
Nuclear War
NEWS
Russia urges restraint on all sides over Iran’s nuclear programme – Reuters
Reuters
Russia has deepened ties with Tehran since the start of the war in Ukraine and signed a strategic partnership agreement with the Islamic Republic in …
Europe is preparing for possible war with Russia, without the US – ABC News
ABC News
But, one area where that may prove difficult is nuclear capabilities. NATO countries have been assured that they would be protected by America’s …
Willamette alum uses global perspective to influence U.S. nuclear policy | News
Willamette University News
Studying the Cold War in her history classes sparked her interest in nuclear weapons. … “The famous phrase coined by Reagan and Gorbachev during the …
Yellowstone Caldera
NEWS
Yellowstone volcano: USGS finds seven huge magma chambers below supervolcano
Daily Express
The Yellowstone Caldera, a volcanic caldera and supervolcano located in Yellowstone National Park in the western United States, is often referred to …
Hoodoo Hodunit?! (Yellowstone Monthly Update – April 2025) – YouTube
YouTube
… Yellowstone Volcano remains at normal, background levels of activity. Watch the full video to learn more! Read Caldera Chronicles https …
USGS explains history behind Sheepeater Cliff formation in Yellowstone – Buckrail
Buckrail
In a past edition of Caldera Chronicles by the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Geophysicist Michael Poland …
IAEA Weekly News
4 April 2025
Read the top news and updates published on IAEA.org this week.
4 April 2025
Decommissioning – Restoring Former Nuclear Sites
Find out how decommissioning activities are carried out effectively and safely in the French town of La Hague, where a former fuel processing plant is being decommissioned. Read more →
3 April 2025
Update 284 – IAEA Director General Statement on Situation in Ukraine
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has delivered a new ambulance and other medical equipment to help Ukraine provide adequate health care for the personnel operating its nuclear power plants (NPPs) in challenging conditions during the military conflict, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today. Read more →
2 April 2025
Behind the Scenes of a Cancer Control ImPACT Review Mission
The IAEA, together with its partners the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, carried out an imPACT Review in Mozambique last year, supporting the country in efforts to improve comprehensive cancer control. Read more →
1 April 2025
The IAEA’s Successful Field Trial: A Promising Breakthrough in Combating Fusarium Wilt in Bananas
The Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture is developing a sustainable solution to the Fusarium wilt threat to help protect banana cultivation across the globe. Read more →